Moving to Work (MTW) Chicago Housing Authority

General Information

The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is the third largest housing authority in the nation and provides assisted housing for more than 130,000 residents in approximately 67,000 homes. The authority consists of 17 federally funded family developments. In addition, CHA operates senior housing, scattered site housing, city/state housing located throughout the city, and housing choice vouchers. CHA's MTW program began February 6, 2000 and will terminate December 31, 2018.

Goals

The Chicago Housing Authority's MTW program is a multi-year commitment to provide better housing and service to low-income families through several HUD-approved initiatives. Such initiatives include:

• Pooling of funds to allow for more flexible spending
• Rehabilitation or redevelopment of 25,000 units of public housing
• Demolition of 18,000 units of obsolete housing
• Transfer of all property management functions to third-party, nonprofit, professional organizations.

Agreement

Rent Policies

CHA will adopt reasonable rent policies that will encourage economic self-sufficiency. However, such policies will be adopted only after full public comments and formal amendment to CHA's Admissions and Occupancy Policy.

Capital Improvements

CHA's MTW Agreement, approved by HUD, allows CHA to develop several capital improvement initiatives, including:

• Demolition of distressed CHA public housing units and replacement of such units with a combination of hard units and housing choice vouchers.
• Provision of relocation and good neighbor counseling services to all residents.
• Development of new, improved public housing units.
• Designation of all CHA senior buildings as "senior only".
• Establishment of a local leased housing program.

In implementing such changes, CHA and HUD will take into consideration the unique needs and rights of low-income residents and will perform several activities designed to ensure that residents are protected. These activities include:

• Creation of a CHA Resident Relocation Rights Contract.
  
• Section 8 market assessment by HUD to determine the local market's ability to absorb tenant-based voucher holders who require relocation and an assessment of the success rates and locations of voucher use.
• A commitment to expand landlord participation in the tenant-based assistance program and to combat discrimination against voucher holders. CHA will partner with fair housing and other organizations to fulfill this commitment.
• A new contract with the section 8 contractor, responsible for administration of the Section 8 program, which includes performance incentives for de-concentration, basic sound program performance, timely administrative procedures, and closer contract monitoring.
  

Funding

As part of its MTW agreement, CHA received a 10-year funding commitment from HUD, funding flexibility, special funding formulas, and additional funds for demolition and relocation services.

CHA is authorized to combine amounts from the Capital Fund and the Operating Fund into a single block grant and use it for activities permitted for either the Capital Fund or the Operating Fund under the U.S. Housing Act of 1937. CHA may also include tenant-based Section 8 assistance (including administrative fees) in the block grant, provided that CHA continues to make available the same number of vouchers under contract.

CHA is authorized to temporarily convert a portion of its tenant-based vouchers into a funding source for mobility and relocation counseling. CHA is also authorized to increase the number of project-based vouchers available for residents, provided that the program does not contribute to the additional concentration of extremely low-income families in certain properties or neighborhoods

Support